Master/slave transceiver power back-off

1. A method of setting power back-off of a master transceiver and a slave transceiver, the master transceiver and the slave transceiver being connected by a cable, comprising:

the master transceiver determining a master power back-off;

the slave transceiver determining a slave power back-off based on signals received from the master transceiver, and based on the master power back-off, comprising;

the slave transceiver determining a first estimate slave power back-off based on signals transmitted by the master transceiver;

if the first estimate slave power back-off is within a predetermined range of the master power back-off, then setting the slave power back-off to be the first estimate slave power back-off;

if the first estimate slave power back-off is not within the predetermined range, then setting the slave power back-off to be within the predetermined range.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising executing an auto-negotiation establishing a transmission link between link partner transceivers in which a first transceiver is designated as the master transceiver and a second transceiver is designated as the slave transceiver.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the master transceiver communicating the master power back-off to the slave transceiver.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the slave transceiver communicating the slave power back-off to the master transceiver.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the master transceiver regulates power of signals transmitted by the master transceiver with the slave power back-off, and wherein the slave transceiver regulates power of signals transmitted by the slave transceiver with the master power back-off.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the master transceiver starts regulation of the power of signals transmitted by the master transceiver simultaneous with the slave transceiver starting regulation of the power of signals transmitted by the slave transceiver.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the master power back-off comprises the master transceiver determining a minimum power back-off from signals received from the slave transceiver, and selecting a master power back-off in a range set by the minimum power back-off and a maximum power back-off.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the master power back-off comprises the master transceiver determining a minimum power back-off from signals received from the slave transceiver, and selecting a master power back-off within a range of the minimum power back-off and the minimum power back-off plus a predetermined range, wherein the minimum power back-off plus the range is not greater than a predetermined maximum allowable power back-off.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the slave power back-off comprises the slave transceiver determining a minimum power back-off from signals received from the master transceiver, and selecting a slave power back-off in a range set by the minimum power back-off and a maximum power back-off.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the slave power back-off comprises the slave transceiver determining a minimum power back-off from signals received from the master transceiver, and selecting a slave power back-off within a range of the minimum power back-off and the minimum power back-off plus a predetermined range, wherein the minimum power back-off plus the range is not greater than a predetermined maximum allowable power back-off.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the master transceiver determines the master power back-off based on signals received from the slave transceiver.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the master transceiver determines the master power back-off based on cable length estimations.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the master transceiver determines the master power back-off based on a time-domain-reflection procedure.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the master transceiver determines the master power back-off by a user supplying a master power back-off value.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the master transceiver determines the master power back-off by a higher level Ethernet management control layer supplying a master power back-off value.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slave transceiver determines the slave power back-off additionally based upon a power back-off range received from the master transceiver.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slave transceiver determining a slave power back-off based on signals transmitted by the master transceiver, and based on the master power back-off comprises:

the slave transceiver receiving the master power back-off;

the slave transceiver determining the slave power back-off within a predetermined range of the master power back-off, and based on signals transmitted by the master transceiver.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein if the slave transceiver cannot determine a slave power back-off value within the predetermined range, then information regarding this occurrence is stored for future interactions between these link partners.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein if the slave transceiver cannot determine a slave power back-off value within the range, then information regarding this occurrence is stored for future auto-negotiations between these link partners.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein if the first estimate slave power back-off is not within the predetermined range, then storing this occurrence for future interactions between master and slave link partners.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the master power back-off comprises determining the master power back-off to ensure a desire signal quality of signal received by the master transceiver.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the desired signal quality includes at least one of signal power, estimated SNR, estimated SNIR, estimated BER, estimated FER of received signals.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the slave power back-off comprises determining the slave power back-off to ensure a desire signal quality of signal received by the slave transceiver.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slave transceiver determines the slave power back-off based on signals transmitted from the master transceiver at a known power level.

25. A method of setting power back-off of a slave transceiver, comprising:

the slave transceiver receiving a master power back-off from a master transceiver;

the slave transceiver determining a slave power back-off based on signals received from the master transceiver, and based on the master power back-off;

the slave transceiver determining a first estimate slave power back-off based on signals received from the master transceiver;

if the first estimate slave power back-off is within a predetermined range of the master power back-off, then setting the slave power back-off to be the first estimate slave power back-off;

if the first estimate slave power back-off is not within the predetermined range, then setting the slave power back-off to be within the predetermined range.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the slave transceiver determining a slave power back-off based on signals received from the master transceiver, and based on the master power back-off comprises:

the slave transceiver determining the slave power back-off within a predetermined range of the master power back-off, and based on signals received from the master transceiver.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein if the slave transceiver cannot determine a slave power back-off value within the predetermined range, then information regarding this occurrence is stored for future interactions between master and slave link partners.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein if the slave transceiver cannot determine a slave power back-off value within the range, then information regarding this occurrence is stored for future auto-negotiations between master and slave link partners.

29. The method of claim 25 , wherein a nominal value for the predetermined range is from −4 dB to +4 dB.

30. A method of setting power back-off of a master transceiver and a slave transceiver, the master transceiver and the slave transceiver being connected by a cable, comprising:

the master transceiver determining a master power back-off;

the slave transceiver determining a slave power back-off based on signals received from the master transceiver, and based on the master power back-off, comprising;.

the slave transceiver determining a first estimate slave power back-off based on signals transmitted by the master transceiver;

if the first estimate slave power back-off is within a predetermined range of the master power back-off, then setting the slave power back-off to be the first estimate slave power back-off;

if the first estimate slave power back-off is not within the predetermined range, then setting the slave power back-off to be within the predetermined range.